Toy building-blocks



` (No Model.)

` P.' W. CRPENTERv TOY BUILDING BLOCKS.

Patented Jan. 3,1882.

,y ltlNTRn STATE-s" PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS w. CARPENTER, or HARRISON, New YORK.

TOY BUILDING-BLOCKS;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,763, dated January 3, 18,82. Application fusa November u, rsa1. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS W. CARPEN- TER, of Harrison, inthe county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in ToyBuilding-Blocks, ot' which the followingris a specication.

I make use of two slats connected together by rivets with elastic washers, the slats being kept apart by intermediate blocks, so that the space is adapted to receive the end of a Slat or block, and the necessary pressure for holding the slats in their relative positions results from the action of the elastic washers. I employ the box that holds the blocks as a part of the toy, the sides being of a thickness corresponding to the slats, so that the double slats can be made to grasp the sides of the box. In the slats and in the box there are holes for the reception of rods or cross-pins, and on these rods alphabetblocks can be strung up sc as to spell words.

This toyis amusing and instructive, and the parts can be put together so as to be sufficiently rm for transportation from one place to another by a child while playing with the same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the toy blocks and the box for containing the same. Fig. 2 is a sect-ion of one ot' the double blocks. Fig. 3 is an elevation, and Fig. 4 an end view, of the blocks having letters or figures thereon. Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of the angle-piece. `Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a cuhical block.

The double blocks are made of slats a a, with intermediate lling-pieces, b, through which the rivets c pass,so as to secure the parts tirmlytogether.` It is preferable to have elastic washers d or springs-such as india-rubber or metalbeneath the heads of the rivets or washers, so that the'slats a can be slightly separated when thesingle slat c or tenon is forced in between the slats a, and therefore the necessary graspl ing action will be insured, so that when two or more blocks are set together they will hold with reasonable rigidness, sufficient` to allow the toy to be moved aboutwithout necessarily falling apart.

The filling-pieces b may be square; but I prefer to make them circular.

The box into which the toy blocks are placed `is provided with sidesf, that are the'same thickness as the slats a or single slats e, so that a pressurewill be applied when the double slat is placed upon the edge of -the box, as shown `in Fig. 1.

The edges of the slats may be rounded to facilitate the introduction of the single slater box-edge between the double slats.

Toy houses and difterentfanciful devices can be built by placing the slats together, or by setting them-upon the edges ot' the box f, or both.

There are holes at in the sides of the boxf, and Aalso through the lslats a c, adapted to receive the rods or wires n or strings.

The toy blocks m are made with holes through them, as at o, so that they can be strung upon the rods or wires n; or they may be suspended by strings, or by staples, or by wires passing through the holes and terminating as books, by which to suspend the blocks, as indicated in Fig. 7. This allows the block to he turned around to bring either side into view. Upon the surface or surfaces of these blocks letters, figures, or numbers are painted or otherwise affixed, so that the blocks can be used. in learning to spell, or in arithmetic. These slatsand blocks may be painted in artistic or fanciful colors, or with pictures.

I employ angle-pieces o, made with a central part and' two right-angled projections, as seen in Fig. 5. The thickness of this angle-piece and the width of the end portions should correspond to the thickness of the slats c, so that the angle-pieces can beintroduced between the double slats a to connect two of such double slats, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The block may he provided with staples or strings passing into the hole or holes,by which to suspend them.

The slats riveted together may be used without the elastic washers, the spring of the wood being sufticient to keep the slats in place when' two or more are put together.

I claim as lny inventionl. In a toy block, the combination, with the slats a aand in term ediate pieces, b, of the rivets c, passing through the parts and securing them together, as set forth. 4

2. In a toy block, the combination, with the slats ctaand intermediate pieces, b, of the rivets c, passing through the parts, and the elastic Washers d, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the toy block composed of double slats riveted together', the box having sides j, that are adapted to receive the double slats, substantially as set forth.

4. The toy slats a, a and e, having holes through them, in combinationV with the toy 5 blocks m, having holes through them, and the rod or similar device for connecting the parts, as set forth.

`5. The combination, with the separate toy blocks m, having holes through them and let- Io ters or characters on their surfaces, of the box j', with holes through the sides of the box, and the removable supporting device n .for the blocks m, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with the toy block formed 15 ofthe double lals a a and intermediate pieces,

b, riveted together, the angle-piece o, having square ends adapted to pass into the spaces between the slats, substantially as set forth.

7. The toy block having letters or characters upon one or more of its surfaces, and a zo hole in the block,in combination with the metallic suspendinghook connected with such block, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 16th day of November, A.

FRANCIS lV. CARPENTER. 

